Contradicting President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) claims on Sunday that he hoped to see an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) signed with China no later than next year, Minister of Economic Affairs Yiin Chii-ming (尹啟銘) told the legislature yesterday that there was no set timetable.
“Members of ASEAN and China will enact zero customs tax starting on Jan. 1 next year, and Taiwanese businesses are under extreme pressure to see to it that the ECFA is completed before this deadline and an early harvest clause is drawn,” Yiin said.
He said that the ministry would finish all relevant ECFA-related research by the end of next month and proceed with cross-strait trade talks in the following three months.
“If there is not too much difference between the two sides, Taiwan will be ready to sign the ECFA then. If, however, the issue of sovereignty is brought up, all discussions will cease immediately,” he said.
Although Yiin admited to the urgency of signing an ECFA, he said things were proceeding methodically and would not be forced into rushing into anything, he said.
In addition, the minister said that although domestic gasoline prices have been hiked three times over the past three weeks, there is no measure or strategy to stop the increasing trend.
“We are currently sticking with a floating oil price mechanism and have no plans to deviate from it, unless one liter of 92 gasoline goes above NT$30,” Yiin said, echoing comments made by CPC Corp, Taiwan (CPC, 台灣中油) president Chu Shao-hua (朱少華).
The current fuel prices for the state-owned oil refiner for one liter of 98-octane, 95-octane and 92-octane unleaded gasoline are NT$28.3, NT$26.8, and NT$26.1, respectively. Meanwhile, diesel is now at NT$23.4 per liter.
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